Chipley Kiwanis Club Briefed On Builders Clubs & General Economic Conditions- November 8. 2010

 Chipley, FL, Tuesday, November 8, 2010.  At the weekly club luncheon on Tuesday, November 8th, the Kiwanis Club received an update from student Carol Ann Boswell, current president of the Kiwanis Builders club at Roulhac Middle School about her club’s efforts to raise money for permanent signage for the school on Brickyard Road. Fund Raising Activities planned include a Christmas dance.  Civic goals include a canned food drive.  The Builders Club members are in grades 6-8 and their faculty advisors  are Gina Carter and Wendy Padgett. Vickie Williams is the lead Kiwanis mentor of this club with Pat Williams, Chair of the Sponsored Youth Committee.

 Last year, more than 45,000 middle school students around the world were involved in this Kiwanis family program developing leadership skills while working with friends to help others in need. Their projects ranged from fundraising for Hiv/Aids prevention in Africa to recycling drives to clean up parks and waterways. As students maneuver this “in-between-stage” of life, Builders Club empowers them to be themselves, work together with friends and implement plans through action. Builders Club shares the mission of building leaders to help children around the world with the high school Key Clubs. Through Builders Clubs, students become leaders at school, in their communities, and perhaps the world.

Kiwanis also presented its annual donation in support of the Farm & City Banquet held at the Ag Center on November 11th.  The presentation was made by LaMerle Feitsma, Chair of the Community Services Committee, to Andy Andreasen, County Extension Director – Agriculture.  Kiwanis International has been a sponsor of the Farm & City event across the U.S. since its start in 1955 and transferred control nationally of the event to the American Farm Bureau Federation in 1988.

Dwayne Maddrow of Capitol City Bank presented a wide-ranging summary of economic conditions, along with slides to illustrate the points, and suggested that our economy is poised for a “jobless recovery” as businesses strive to do more with less payroll to operate efficiently and raise profits. The last ten years have been atypical with negative growth in most sectors of the stock market, however investors who stayed the course over the last 3 tumultuous years have been rewarded by regaining on average, 50% of their losses. One bright horizon is the growth of the middle classes in  Brazil ,Russia ,China and India. As their purchasing power increases, the demand for goods and services  increase in tandem, providing opportunities for American manufacturers to export everything from cars, phones, coke, copper, steel, even  life insurance.

To emphasize his point, Mr. Maddrow pointed out that different countries develop tastes for certain American products. The Chinese love General Motors products especially the “sexy” Buick models. China buys more GM products than are now sold in the United States. Later this month General Motors will have an Initial Public Offering of their stock; a salute of sorts, to our taxpayer loan. With the dollar weak, our exports are a bargain right now for those countries, while back home Ford Motor Company is the darling of Wall Street by earning record profits.  Meanwhile, municipalities struggle with outdated infrastructure and burgeoning debt. California, for example is borrowing 40 million dollars daily from the Federal Government to pay unemployment claims. However inflation remains low, and  inflation typically declines in the early stages of recovery due to the slack in the economy. The way to prosperity will be to work towards achieving the old “normal;” 4-5 % unemployment.

 Employment is always the main mechanism to transmit either weakness or strength through the entire economy. The Fed will be buying debt {with our money} to loosen credit so small businesses can grow and hire. Small Businesses make up over half of our economy; in order for the economy to grow, small business must thrive. This “jobless recovery” may mean that excess labor will persist for years and unemployment will be a challenge.  The Gross Domestic Product{ GDP} is increasing but forecasted to be weak the first quarter of 2011.

 The Kiwanis Club of Chipley has been providing support to youth oriented events and programs for 70 years and last year supported 31 organizations throughout the county. Next on the fundraising schedule is the popular annual fruit sale now through November 30th with delivery around December 17th. This year the club has added a 3 pound gourmet selection of non-peanut nuts in a designer tin available at local merchants and from Kiwanis members.

 The club meets Tuesdays at Patillo’s restaurant in the middle of the WHTC  campus at noon. For an invitation, contact any Kiwanian or David Solger, Membership Chairperson at 850-638-1276.